(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for recording and reproducing that performs recording and reproducing for an optical disc such as DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW and the like, and especially to the improvement in editing moving image data recorded on an optical disc.
(2) Description of the Background Art
In editing moving images, risks always exist for damaging the original moving images by mistakes that occur in editing and the like. Consumer appliances that are used by the general public, unlike the ones used by the professionals in producing moving images, require special care. In response to such a request, DVD recording apparatuses that have appeared recently, are equipped with a virtual editing function, in addition to a real editing function. A virtual editing is an editing operation in which pointer information is defined according to a user operation, the pointer information specifying pieces of picture data being the starting and ending points of one reproduction section. Unlike a real editing which requires modification of original moving images, the virtual editing is characterized in that no modification is executed for original moving images. Due to this character, the virtual editing enables a beginner in editing moving images to deal with the moving picture editing without feeling anxious.
On the other hand, in the virtual editing, a seamless image display is not assured when two reproduction sections are reproduced in succession. This is because the two reproduction sections are disposed in separate positions from each other in one disc, which requires a random access to the two reproduction sections.
In addition, moving image data recorded on a DVD contains many pieces of picture data that have been compression-encoded in accordance with the MPEG standard to correlate to pieces of picture data in front and rear. These pieces are assumed to be decoded and reproduced sequentially from the beginning. Suppose here that two reproduction sections that are not originally continuous to each other are specified in the virtual editing. In this case, the last picture data of the preceding reproduction section and the first picture data of the subsequent reproduction section have been encoded on the assumption that they will not be reproduced continuously. This makes it difficult for the two reproduction sections to be reproduced sequentially, due to the encoding method as stated above. As a result, an interruption will often occur at the transition between the two reproduction sections during the reproduction.
On the contrary, moving images in movies or television broadcasts that are edited by professional editors are provided with a variety of visual effects. Compared to the results of these moving images that are familiar to the general public, results of the virtual editing tend to leave users wanting for more.